Tyler Musser’s Post

There has been a large focus on #remotework and how it impacts the people and the organizations. This morning, I thought I would share my experience and my thoughts. At my previous employer, as part of my negotiations, I required the ability to work remote - I lived 45 miles from the office and being in the Midwest, sometimes the weather can make 45 miles seem like 4500 (especially in the winter). So I wanted to know on days where I felt off, or the weather locked me in my home, I could still work even if I wasn't in the office. Then the pandemic hit, and everyone was being sent home. I begged to be able to remain in the office - I live alone and I was so afraid of the isolation due to EVERYTHING being shut down. Even if I only saw one or two people, I needed that for my mental health. Thankfully my boss understood and I was able to work in the office. I still had some days remote, but a majority of the week I would make the drive in and it kept me sane. And now, the country has reopened and I work at a new organization where I am full time remote. I still see people IRL every day - at my yoga studio, at the grocery store, when I visit my dad at his Assisted Living Facility, my neighbors when I go for walks, etc. And it wouldn't matter if I was required to be in office - 1/2 my team work at other locations, my leader is in a different office from me - as well as several of the leadership above him being spread across the country. Having said that, I still go into the office weekly to see my peers face to face, taking advantage of the facetime to build friendships (ever see the animation when two geeks start talking about #scifi fandom?) and see my coworkers as human - not just a face (or picture) on a Zoom call. My point? There is no one answer for every situation (as I hope my story has shown). Flexibility is key. And flexibility requires TRUST - from leadership, from peers and from me. My leadership and peers trust that I am doing my job, I trust that they are doing theirs, and we all trust that depending on the situation, we will do what is needed and go where is needed. Onsite retreat needed? I will drive or fly to wherever it is being held and give it my full attention. Zoom calls to update each other on how things are going? I'll place my Zoom window in front of my emails so that I will focus completely on the discussion and not be distracted. I think the discussion of #remotework is focusing on the wrong thing - where people are located. I think the discussion needs to move to #flexiblework - and the focus needs to be on #trust.